The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-05-18
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, WEDNESDAY. MAY IS, 1887.
A STUDY OF SEED.

A STUDY OF SEED.
The Numerous Advantages Of Change and
Of Judlclous Selection.
Although but little has been written
on this subject, it is q matter worthy
the most careful consideration of all
who have any thing to do with seeds.
That great benefits are derived in some
cases from changing seed. not only
from one climate to another, but even
to different soils, can not be doubted.
Seeds often become soil-sick and
climate-sick, like people, need change
and are affected bene6cially when that
change is made. It is generally con-
sidered that all fruits, vegetables and
seeds do best when grown in their own
native soil. Is this trueP Is it fact
applicable to all seeds and plants?
Take cotton, for instance. Cotton seed
was brought to Texas from Yucatan
where it was found to be indigenous
Being planted and cultivated in Texas
it produced better staple and more of
it than in Yucatan. Seed was i'm ported
from Africa, British India and the
islands of the Mediterranean into the
Southern States with the same result,
showing that cotton, although trop-
ical plant, does better in temperate re-
gions 1t is a noted fact that the fur
Their North wheat can be grown the
shorter its period of maturity. Seed
taken from Canada to Kentucky, Ohio
or Colorado, ripens earlier than the
wheat raised in these States But the
seed the second year loses this quality
to great extent and follows in the
same line of the wheats Of these States.
In Sweden advantage is taken of this
in annually bringing seed wheat from
the northern extremity of the Gulf Of
Bothnia, nearly under the Arctic circle,
and sowing it in land SO much exposed
to cold that ordinary wheat
has scarcely time to ripen.
Wheats from the Mediterranean
their own native habitat-when
brought to this climate improve so
greatly in color, yield and quality that
they, when compared, can not be
recognized as the same. OF the 1876
different varieties of wheat, 81 of oats,
Is of barley and 5 of rye received at
the Colorado Agricultural College from
foreign countries the last seven years,
not one but has made better grain
than that received. Changing seed
has long been practiced by few
farmers in the different States and oft
en- with excellent results-but the
change must be frequently repeated.
Some seeds run out in ashort time and
become worthless because the soil and
climate do not agree with them
and often from want of judicious
selection. This is the fact with
field crops to greater degree than
garden vegetables. For instance,
onion seeds coming from Africa and
grown in the Eastern States do well
for one or two seasons and then be-
come worthless. Potatoes taken from
cold climate to the Southern States
grow well the first year, but fail t.
make plump tubers and good crol
after that. Oats coming from Canada
Scotland and Ireland make a larger
yield in some of the Western State:
than where they came from for one Of
two seasons, and after that lapse int
the same condition of production anc
! quality as other oats. One reason fol
this is that when they are grown ou
! of their own range (every plant has it,
native region) they soon deterioratt
and require to be renewed from seei
grown in tn at native region.
Another reason for changing seet
from one locality to another is that thu
accidents and insects that prey upor
them prefer some varieties to others
and the accidents and insects are more
abundant in those localities where tn,
varieties upon which they prey ar,
most cultivated. While change O
seed is beneficial, selection, very i'm
portant and closely connected with it
should claim as much if not more at
tention from the farming community
Much is being done by few to make
our best seeds better. Selecting tn
best, crossing like species, hybridizing
fertilizing, cultivating, irrigating ant
transpl anting are all resorted to to &C
complish the work so necessary ant
important to making the base of all oc
equations successful. Selection pro
notes vitality, insures termination, ad
vances growth, defines the character o
plants, increases the yield and furnishe
better grain for reproduction. Plant
can be improved easily as stock. Ever,
favor bestowed upon the cereals, ii
parti cular, shows corresponding sat
| isfaction in yield and quality. BY
judicious system of selection the perio,
of maturity of corn, wheat, oats, bar
ley, rye and other seeds can be great
shortened. This is done by taking 70
seed the ears or heads that matur
earliest. BY selection larger heads
more perfect grain and a create
amount of it can be grown on give
space with the same fertility and at tn